


Time Will Tell

by lanalucy



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Community: hc_bingo, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 19:32:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3867148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanalucy/pseuds/lanalucy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kahl meets an Other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Will Tell

**Author's Note:**

> Written for hc_bingo - square five: deals with demons.

Kahl struggled to pull his wedged foot out, but the rocks held him tight. How had he gotten caught in this? He could smell Others, knew they’d soon be upon him. His hearts pounded in his shoulders.

Rocks skittered. Footsteps came closer. He made himself as small as possible, hoping to avoid discovery. The Other was watching the ground at its feet, and when Kahl shivered, the slither of his wings brought the Other’s head up. It jumped.

“Oh! You scared me!”

Kahl growled low in his chest, hoping his fear wasn’t obvious. This Other was smaller than usual, but still, they were known to be destructive and violent. Many of his kind had retreated to harsher climes to avoid interaction with Others.

He liked to think he was braver than that, or more realistic. The Others were everywhere, their population expanding far too rapidly to avoid them altogether. Kahl had even attempted to learn Other languages, though he considered it ridiculous they had so many. One common language was the best way. It simplified things. The Others seemed intent on making their own lives, and the lives of all the people on this rock, more difficult, and he didn’t understand this.

The Other came closer, peering up at him. “Are you hurt?” it asked.

Kahl did not answer. If he confirmed he was hurt or trapped, it would take that as permission to slay him.

The Other clambered up on the pile of rocks on which he sat, examining his trapped foot. He ruffled his wings, hoping to frighten it off. 

It looked at him, its eyes catching his. Then it reached into a bag on its back and pulled out a small stick. The stick expanded and Kahl could not keep the noise from escaping as he reared away from the killing tool. He was helpless before this Other. He resigned himself to death, hoping only for a swift one, one without torture.

The Other held the stick out in front of it and looked from the stick to him. “Why are you afraid of this?” It shook its head. “Never mind. I think I can help you, if you’ll let me.”

Kahl’s head tilted. Help him? Why would it do that? He felt the stick on his foot and jerked back. But it didn’t hurt, and the Other didn’t point the stick at him. It just worked the stick in between the rocks, pushing and grunting until it had wedged the stick in as tightly as his foot. He wasn’t sure how this was going to help.

It stood again, moving to stand in front of him. He sucked in his breath, the warmth of its skin entirely too close for comfort.

“Okay, I’m going to work the rocks loose now. Pull your foot out as soon as you are able.”

Kahl averted his eyes when the Other closed both its top appendages around the stick and began moving it back and forth. He hissed when his foot was caught between a rock and the stick, but almost immediately, the rock moved, and his foot was loose. He yanked it out roughly, falling backward off the rockpile.

The Other pulled its stick free and hopped down, the end pointed at him. So it had helped him, only to kill him now. He ruffled his wings again, hoping to take flight before it could hit him, but the pain in his foot kept his concentration scattered. He pulled his foot in, and the Other came closer, aiming the end of its stick at his foot.

It grew warm, the burn almost painful, but then the pain and the warmth both dissipated, and he stared at his foot and at the Other in shock. 

“Is it better now? I’m new at working this thing, and I’m not sure I understand the control symbols.”

This Other was not harming him. Was it lulling him into a false sense of safety? Would it wait for the right moment to strike, and destroy him when he let his guard down? He couldn’t answer the way the Other did - they spoke with their mouths, very inefficient.

_Why do you not hurt me?_

Its head popped up, eyes wide. “I can hear you!” Then its mouth turned down. “Why would I hurt you? You’ve never done anything to me.”

_Others are known for harming us. Killing us. Making us slaves._

“Others? Is that what you call humans? Others?”

_Yes. Others are all bipedal, mouth-speaking creatures. Others are dangerous._

“I’m not.”

_Why do you stray into the rocks alone?_

“People kept telling me to be afraid of the rock formations. All I saw were rocks. I wanted to understand what there was to fear out here.”

Kahl smelled Others, more Others. _More are coming. I must leave._ He extended his wings, opening his mind to form the flying energy.

“Wait!” 

He turned his head down.

“Can I talk to you again?”

_I will return this way next moonrise. If you are alone, I will stop._

The sounds of approaching Others grew more distinct, and it turned its head. “I’ll be alone.”

Kahl picked up a small rock with his newly healed foot and inscribed his symbol on it, holding it out to the Other. _I am in your debt, hooman._ He bowed his head low, opening his mouth. Words did not come easily to his kind, but he did the best he could, telling it _Thank you_ as he spoke, so his meaning would be clear.

He rose into the air, moonlight shimmering on his wings, and he looked down at the Other. Its face was uplifted, watching him take flight. He flapped, spun in a circle, and flew off. As he hunted, he considered what he might bring with him at moonrise. Perhaps some oil, so the Other would smell familiar.

Mayhap this was the beginning of something good. Time would tell.

**Author's Note:**

> I've not written much original fiction, so please criticize kindly.


End file.
